Countertop Washing Machines

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For apartment dwellers, the long hike to the laundromat with a heavy sack of dirty clothes or a cumbersome cart is one of the most dreaded parts of the week. While it would be great to add a washing machine and dryer, many urban inhabitants simply don't have the space or the money. However, several companies are marketing countertop laundry solutions that promise to free us from the clutches of coin-consuming laundromats. So if you've ever thought of adding a washer and dryer to your apartment, check out these options.

The Laundry Pod

The Laundry Pod touts itself as a more convenient and environmentally-friendly way to do laundry. The device itself is pretty simple. Fill the Pod with a small load of laundry, add water and detergent, and let it all soak for several minutes. Then feed the Pod's hose into a nearby sink, spin the handle on top to wring your clothes of excess water, and finish drying on a clothesline.

While a nice alternative to the laundromat, the Laundry Pod's $100 price tag is pretty steep, considering this is essentially just an oversized salad spinner. But if you'd like something basic to do the occasional load of lightly soiled clothes, the Laundry Pod is a good investment.

The Laundry Alternative

The Laundry Alternative has a tag-teaming duo that can wash and wring your clothes dry. The Wonder Wash ($49) is a hand-cranked washing machine that works much like the Laundry Pod. And the company's Spin Dryers ($69.95 - $229.00), are an electric alternative to the manual spin cycle found on the Laundry Pod.

While these are more convenient than a fully manual option, it's unfortunate that the company doesn't combine the two into a single tabletop unit. Transferring a load from the Wonder Washer to the Spin Dryer and then onto a clothesline seems like a lot of work to wash two or three pairs of jeans.

Haier Dryer

A counter top washer is great, but it's of little use if you don't have the space for a clothes line. Haier makes a dryer ($246) that is less than 3 cubic feet, small enough to fit in even the most cramped studio apartments. Not only does the Haier solve your space problems, but it also works with a regular 120-volt plug, so you avoid the cost of hiring an electrician to install the 240-volt hookup required by most larger dryers.